Under the programme the following hospitals could be among those who create new branches:

Great Ormond Street

Royal Marsden

Guy's and St Thomas'

The Department of Health and UK Trade and Industry is expected to launch the scheme this autumn which could build links between hospitals wishing to expand and foreign governments wanting access to British health services.

The Patients Association tells ITV News they are concerned work abroad could be a distraction from the services' UK patients:

The guiding principle of the NHS must be to ensure that outcomes and care for patients comes before profits. At a time of huge upheaval in the health service, when waiting times are rising and trusts are being asked to make £20 billion of efficiency savings, this is another concerning distraction. The priority of the Government, hospital trusts and clinicians should be NHS patients.

– Katherine Murphy, chief executive of the Patients Association, speaking to the Independent